McConnell openly courts Manchin to leave Democrats, join GOP

By KEVIN FREKING and FARNOUSH AMIRI
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell is openly recruiting Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin after his fractious split with the White House over the president’s social and environmental spending package. McConnell says Manchin “feels like a man alone” and if he were to switch parties, “he would be joining a lot of folks who have similar views on a whole range of issues.” Over recent months, Manchin has rejected questions about the prospect of leaving the Democratic Party, but that is not tamping down the courtship from Republicans. The stakes are immense as a flip by Manchin would give Republicans control of the chamber.